Known simply as Baalberith, the producer behind the enigmatic electronic project GosT spent his formative years playing in metal bands before drifting into the electronic music that would form the basis of his satanic synthwave/retrowave sound.
Navigating the space between metal and computer music, the musician channels his fascination with the occult, John Carpenter and 80s slashers – as well as his background in heavy guitar music (particularly the blackest corners of it) – into his haunting atmospheric electronica.
With his (black) heart dwelling in such darkened places it seems only natural that he's hit the road with acts like Black Dahlia Murder, 3TEETH and Perturbator.
Now, the dark lord of synthwave is taking his satanic electronic dirges to Europe with the bassist known as Carreau and they'll be going one shade darker, touring alongside black metal royalty: the legendary Mayhem and Gaahl's Wyrd – kicking off on Halloween, of course.
To celebrate this delightfully dark tour we asked the man behind the deck to list his favourite tracks from the black metal heavyweights.
1. Witching Hour (Venom cover)
"I love this whole EP [Deathcrush] personally. Extremely visceral and raw from front to back. The guitar work on this track is what draws me in and keeps me enthralled."
2. Freezing Moon
"Obviously because obviously. Seriously though the opening riff in this track is super iconic and just rips."
3. From the Dark Past
"Love the drum sound and just utter chaos of each riff bending into the next seamlessly. This track embodies everything I love about black metal."
4. Slaughter of Dreams
"The drum work is seriously cash on this song. A slasher of a track with some of my favourite Mayhem riffage."
5. A Time to Die
"I have always loved Maniac's vocal style and this is probably my favourite recorded Mayhem track. An absolute banger of a track!"
6. In the Lies Where Upon You Lay
"Such a thrashing track. If your neck isn't broken after listing to this record you're younger than I."
7. Illuminate Eliminate
"Vocally, Attila is probably my favourite of all the Mayhem vocalists. There is something equally haunting and recognisable about Attila's scream."
8. Falsified and Hated
"I am excited for the whole new record to be honest and so far I keep coming back to this track. Beyond stoked to see this performed every night for a month."
9. Trinity
"As a whole Esoteric Warfare is probably the Mayhem work that I most often listen to. It just has everything I love about black metal done very well. Trinity is absolutely unrelenting."
10. Of Worms and Ruins
"Opening riff is perfect. I really am loving the sound of this new record and cannot wait to hear it in full. Daemon will easily be one of my personal favourite metal releases of 2019!"
GosT's new album Valediction is out now on CD, LP and digital via Century Media.
Mayhem 2019 European tour dates
Oct 31: Nijmegen Doornroosje, Netherlands
Nov 01: Leiden Gebr De Nobel, Netherlands
Nov 02: Leeds Damnation Festival, UK
Nov 03: Dublin Academy, Ireland
Nov 04: London The Electric Ballroom, UK
Nov 05: Paris La Machine Du Moulin Rouge, France
Nov 06: Rennes L’etage, France
Nov 07: Lyon CCD, France
Nov 08: Toulouse Le Metronum, France
Nov 09: Barcelona Salamandra, Spain
Nov 10: Madrid Mon Madrid, Spain
Nov 12: Milan Magazzini Generali, Italy
Nov 13: Génova PTR, Switzerland
Nov 14: Vienna Szene, Austria
Nov 15: Prague Meet Factory, Czech Republic
Nov 16: Berlin Astra, Germany
Nov 17: Lille Tyrant Fest, France
Nov 19: Kassel Musik Theater 130BPM, Germany
Nov 20: Wetzikon Hall Of Fame, Switzerland
Nov 21: Mannheim MS Connextion Complex, Germany
Nov 22: Oberhausen Turbinehalle, Germany
Nov 23: Vosselaar Biebob, Belgium
Nov 24: Copenhagen Pumpehuset, Denmark
Nov 26: Tampere Pakkahuone, Finland
Nov 27: Helsinki Tavastia, Finland
Nov 29: Stockholm Fryshuset Klubben, Sweden
Nov 30: Gothenburg Pustervik, Sweden
